Mansfield Town midfielder Kieran Wallace says Stags’ next three league fixtures could be ‘vital’ in the club’s fight for promotion.
Nigel Clough’s men face league leaders Leyton Orient at home this weekend, followed by trips to promotion rivals Northampton next Tuesday and then Stockport County four days later.
The 28-year-old, who has made 26 appearances this term - on the left side of defence as well as in midfield - said at a news conference today: “The next three games are going to be very important to where we end up [in the league table]. It’s going to be vital.
“[We’re happy with our form at the moment]. Especially at an important time of the season. We’re coming into the run in now and we’re in the mix.”
Wallace has enjoyed an extended run in the team recently, becoming one of Nigel Clough’s most consistent performers.
“I’m enjoying it. It’s been a long time waiting for me to get a bit of a run in the side.
“It’s probably my longest spell, the most amount of games I’ve probably played for a couple of years.
“It’s not a lot of games that I’ve played recently but I was thinking about it the other day and since January I’ve probably played eight or nine games. I think it’s the most I've played since my injury a couple of years ago.”
Wallace has shown his versatility this term, featuring at left-back in the absence of Stephen McLaughlin, and in defensive midfield, more recently.
Speaking about playing in front of the defence, he said: “I think that position suits my attributes a bit more, obviously I don’t need to run around as much. [I’m able to] protect the back three or four and that suits my game really.
Nigel Clough’s side have been hit with an array of injuries recently, leading to Academy players Taylor Anderson (defender) and McKeal Abdullah (forward) feature on the bench for the first team at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.
“There’s not many people training,” said Wallace. “I think it hits you when you go out to warm up and jog around the pitch and you see [the low amount of players] who we’ve got training today. A few of the younger lads are coming up to train with us and you look around and think we’re really down to the bare bones.
“I think you're just under a bit more pressure to stay fit really. You want to be playing, you want to keep yourself fit.”
